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A couple of generations ago, most employers didn't even ask for paperwork when you approached them for a job.

If they liked how you looked and how you came across in a brief conversation, you could be hired on the spot.

Later on, resumes entered the picture, and became the standard tool for job applicants. Back then, resumes covered the bare basics: your contact info, full work history, and a little educational background. It didn't matter whether you were applying to be a choreographer or a morgue attendant; everyone got the same resume.

Resumes have evolved significantly in subsequent years. Contact information, employment history and education are still standard, but today's employers want to know details of what you can do for their company rather than what you've done for somebody else. Job titles and generic lists of duties are less valued than concrete statements explaining how you've demonstrated those skills and abilities.

Moreover, today's employers aren't going to automatically make the connection between your work history as a receptionist and your current goal to work as a boilermaker. You need to fill in the blanks for them, showing how your abilities and experience will benefit their organization rather than talking about past jobs that do not speak to their needs.

When reviewing resumes, I always wince when I read job objectives that are too vague or too broad. These are usually written by applicants who, when you ask what kind of work they're looking for, answer "Any-thing!" - and conduct their job search in a similarly random manner.

To be effective, a job search needs to be targeted. This means not only convincing the employer you have the skills and know-how to do the specific job, but also focusing your efforts on the employers you're most interested in working for, and where you have the best chance of landing a job.

Ideally, the occupational and training research you did to prepare for this stage - talking to employers, trainers, school advisers, etc. - will have kick-started your list of places to apply. You can expand this list through further networking, and through techniques like browsing in Yellow Pages directories or online counterparts, (such as Canada411.ca, Infospace. com, or SuperPages.ca).

Thought for the Week: "Your life can't go according to plan if there is no plan." (Source: Unknown)

David MacFadden works at the Alberni Valley Employment Centre.

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